When's best to start?

Mummy2823 · 2023-08-10T12:58:20+00:00

Baby is nearly 4.5 months and I wanted to wait until 6 months before weaning. We go on holiday the day after she is 6 months so not sure when will be best to start with some foods? Am I better introducing pouches a few weeks before we go so she can have some on holiday? Or will I be best waiting until after holiday but then she'll be 6.5 months

KittensAllOverTheCarpetAndSofa · 10/08/2023 15:05

There was a post on here the other day from a pp with a much older baby who now wouldn’t eat anything unless it was a puréed pouch!
I’d be inclined to hold off until you get back from holiday, then baby can just try stuff you are having.

SiouxsieSiouxStiletto · 10/08/2023 15:29

Introducing pouches is weaning!

I definitely would wait until you get back. It will be so much easier for both of you

Original poster

Mummy2823 · 10/08/2023 15:42

Will baby be okay only having milk whilst away at 6months?

OP posts:

SiouxsieSiouxStiletto · 10/08/2023 15:44

Mummy2823 · 10/08/2023 15:42

Will baby be okay only having milk whilst away at 6months?

Yes of course. If they're ok now, they'll be ok then. There isn't a magic switch that gets in at 6 months

Original poster

Mummy2823 · 10/08/2023 15:45

Thanks so much!

OP posts:

FoodFann · 10/08/2023 15:50

I don’t see why you need to decide now. Play it by ear, and go with what baby wants. There will be baby food available on hols, surely. And if not, you can mash your own fruit and veg for baby. We started weaning at 4 months, by six months there was no food she hadn’t tried, and she still had 3 bottles a day too. New research says the time between 4-6m is the sweet spot for introducing common allergen foods, to avoid allergies later in life. Children weaned after 6 months were more likely to have allergies. Either way, your baby will probably be fine, but it might be something to consider.

Original poster

Mummy2823 · 10/08/2023 15:53

Was thinking about it now as if I start just before I will need to take feeding vests & spoons with me, aswell as pouches as I don't know what the food will be like.
Didn't want to wean much earlier than 6 months because 6months is what's recommended.

OP posts:

SiouxsieSiouxStiletto · 10/08/2023 15:56

FoodFann · 10/08/2023 15:50

I don’t see why you need to decide now. Play it by ear, and go with what baby wants. There will be baby food available on hols, surely. And if not, you can mash your own fruit and veg for baby. We started weaning at 4 months, by six months there was no food she hadn’t tried, and she still had 3 bottles a day too. New research says the time between 4-6m is the sweet spot for introducing common allergen foods, to avoid allergies later in life. Children weaned after 6 months were more likely to have allergies. Either way, your baby will probably be fine, but it might be something to consider.

The WHO guidelines and the NHS are still to wean at 6 months.

There is some research that says you may wean earlier but some of that research is funded by Nestle who very much not co-incidentally own a large proportion of the baby food market.

SiouxsieSiouxStiletto · 10/08/2023 15:57

Mummy2823 · 10/08/2023 15:53

Was thinking about it now as if I start just before I will need to take feeding vests & spoons with me, aswell as pouches as I don't know what the food will be like.
Didn't want to wean much earlier than 6 months because 6months is what's recommended.

Honestly I've weaned two and for the sake of packing all of the stuff you'll need and the mother, I'd just wait.

CatsOnTheChair · 10/08/2023 16:05

I'd let baby have a munch on sone fruit or vegetable sticks when on holiday, and go for it properly when you get home.
So, no purees etc on holiday, but access to suitable bits of your meals, if baby is awake at your meal times.

PurpleBananaSmoothie · 10/08/2023 16:07

Baby might not ready to wean at 6 months. It isn’t that they wake up at 6 months and suddenly can handle 3 meals a day and no longer have milk. You want to look for signs that your baby is developmentally ready such as able to hold their head up, showing an interest in food. I can’t remember all of them but you’ll find it if you Google it. DD was developmentally ready about 5.5 months but we still only started with one meal a day, lunch as I found that the easiest. She didn’t go to two meals until about 8 months.

So if DC is developmentally ready and you’re on holiday, you can just give them something of what you’re having. So for example, you might order a side of vegetables and give baby some of the softer ones to play with. You’d be doing finger food first but you can go back to purées when you get back.